training tricks, some questions

I started Hyde's training about a week ago, so far he is doing really well considering he isnt even four months old yet. He can sit, laydown, shake, come, and stay. He is a quick learner picking up whatever im teaching him in a matter of minutes. Once he gets something I make him do that trick for treats, food, or attention to reinforce it.

Anyways I've been making a list of tricks, and obediance commands that Im gonna teach him. I decided it would be cute if I could teach one of my other dogs to sneeze and have Hyde or another dog bring the sneezer a kleenex. I tried the blowing in the nose thing to get them to sneeze but that only made them extremly hyper. Anyone have any suggestions on how to get a dog to sneeze? Also I have some ideas on how to get Hyde to bring the kleenex, luckily he likes carrying things around in his mouth, but im not exactly sure how to train him that either. He might be too young and in that case i will train an other dog to bring the kleenex but how? Thanks!

 

That sounds so cute! My dogs would definately eat the tissue though.

I'm not sure how to make a dog sneeze but if you keep a clicker handy you may be able to "capture" and reinforce the sneezes the dog does on its own....this may take longer though depending on how often the dog sneezes. My dogs tend to sneeze a lot when they are excited. After reinforcing multiple sneezes you can add a cue or a hand signal.

If the sneeze is going to be the cue for the other dog to get a tissue you will have to have a reliable sneeze on cue before you proceed. Tease the "tissue holder" with a tissue to get her interested in it and get her to put in her mouth and "drop it" several times. Now cue a sneeze, drop the tissue and click when the dog picks it up. Once the dog understands that the sneeze is a cue to pick up the tissue you can move on to having her bring the tissue to the other dog. I would probably use luring for that part. Now if you want to put the tissues somewhere where the dog can go take one herself, you can gradually move the tissues away from you while reinforing her for going to grab one upon hearing a sneeze.

Thats the best I can think to accomplish this but maybe someone else will have more suggestions for you. Good luck.

 

I know that if you scrunch the dogs nose in your hand and when you let go they usually sneeze, if not grab their snout with one hand and rub their nose with the other hand and that would probably work better. I am going to teach the sneezing thing, I don't have another dog to bring the kleenex but I was also thinking of teaching my puppy to bring me a tissue if I sneeze or act like it. That would be cute. the bringing the tissue thing, point to a box of tissues and just get the dog to grab it in their mouth and then when they get the tissue, say "bring me a tissue" or whatever command you choose and call them to you with the tissue in their mouth, and reward them.

 

I taught this command to one of my MinPins (I clicker train, btw). I sneezed and she ran to the box and pulled one out. Problem there is that the kleenex is so thin, the almost always just got the little piece the size of her mouth and left the rest in the box.....humpgf.

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